


Deal With the Devil

by bookwormchocaholic



Series: Dark Night Series [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Deals, Debts, Other, loans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 00:01:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4725176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookwormchocaholic/pseuds/bookwormchocaholic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How Maurice’s deal with Adam came about. Takes place a year before Chapter One.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deal With the Devil

“My dear, I cannot believe you of all people are suggesting this.” Maurice sank down in his chair, groping for her hand. “The farm is all we have. And that man…”

Colette kept silent, watching her husband. Sadness welled up within her. How would she bear it without this man? He was silly, had no head for business, often made rash decisions and left all of the important matters up to her. Yet she loved him like no other. 

Colette adjusted the blankets on her lap. The settee in the parlor had become solely hers since her bout with Scarlet Fever. Whilst she survived it, her heart had been weakened. Her day would begin in their room, in bed. Once she attended to her toilette, Maurice carried her down to the parlor where she spent the remainder of her waking hours stretched out. She’d do fine needle work, read and keep their accounts as well as counsel her husband and children- all from in a reclined position. But she was no longer the lady of the house. Her daughters had divided up her former duties amongst them. 

“You have always cautioned me against this.” Maurice continued, shaking his head. He was truly bewildered. “You of all people know what kind of man he is.”

Collette nodded. She knew perfectly well. 

“Mr. Gold is a hard man. If we borrow that much to cover our debts and cannot pay him back, there is no telling what he will do. He did not earn the name the Beast for nothing.” Maurice pointed out. “Making a deal with him would be like making a deal with the devil.”

Her husband was right. 

Colette believed and taught her children to live modestly, without falling into debt. Since the crops had failed and her own health taking a turn for the worse, they had no one else to go to for refuge. But her own history with Mr. Gold showed her that things were not always what they seemed. There was more to that man than he let on.

“Be that as it may, we must have faith that it will all turn out right in the end.” Colette said. “Please, husband, do this for me. It is for the best.”

Maurice clenched his eyes shut and reverently kissed her knuckles. He may balk, but in the end he would do as she wished. 

They needed help, it was simple as that. Her husband viewed Gaston Harcourt, their near neighbor, as the family’s salvation and the perfect mate for their youngest daughter, Belle. Gaston was taken with her daughter, no doubt, and would like nothing better than to have her as his bride. Maurice thought he’d kill two birds with one stone; have Gaston pay off their debts and Belle would be settled. 

But her daughter was right. Gaston Harcourt would not do at all. There really was something about that man that was not right. She could not allow Belle to pay the price by sacrificing her self-respect and wedding a man she did not love. In the long run, they would not suit one another.

Colette reasoned that it would be better for them to go to Mr. Gold – the one known as the Beast- and make a deal with him. A deal that would lead to something greater. They would have to overcome many trials, no doubt, but in the end it would be worth it.

“I hope you know what you are asking of me.” Maurice kissed her hand once more and departed for what was known as the Dark Castle. 

She had given this a great deal of thought, and prayed too. It was meant to be. She had a sense of peace about this.

Mr. Gold was the one for Belle. From what Colette knew of him and had observed, there was no doubt in her mind that Mr. Gold could love, protect and care for her daughter. Once he got to know her of course. The man really had such a capacity to love. And Belle… she would find her equal, her true love, her soulmate and her best friend in Mr. Gold. Belle would peel back the man’s layers; her daughter would see what she saw. She could chase that darkness away. 

Neither he nor Belle belonged in Ashby yet they could belong to each other. 

#

Adam barely glanced up from his volume of Burns when the butler escorted a round, portly man into the library. He lowered the book, to take in the man’s appearance. The man looked familiar, but he couldn’t place him. He couldn’t remember every Tom, Dick and Harry in Hampshire. 

The man edged forward to the desk, smiling sheepishly, his hand extended. His nails were corroded with dirt- that was telling. He was a laborer of some sort.

Adam wrinkled his nose. He hated false pleasantries. This wasn’t a social call. No one came to see him, unless they wanted something. “Get to the point, dearie. I don’t have all day.” 

“Uh, Mr. Gold, my name is Maurice French and I own a farm a couple miles from here. I have accumulated quite a bit of debt…” Maurice prattled on, practically telling his life story.

Adam laid the book down. At this rate, “A Red Red Rose” would have to wait until this evening. The portrait that this man was painting of his livelihood and means was a pathetic one. 

When Maurice finally stopped to draw breath, Adam decided to put an end to both of their misery. “Mr. French, you have nothing. If I do take on your debt, you will still be in the same boat. Only with me. You have not made a profit and won’t.”

“I am a good, honest, Christian man and I know that next year will be better. Things will turn around. You’ll see.”

“You have nothing that I want, Mr. French.” Adam snapped. “No success in business, no collateral-”

Maurice held up a finger. “The farm. If I do not fulfill my debt, you may have my farm.” The fool grinned widely. 

Adam sat back in his chair, contemplating that offer. A piece of land in the right hands could turn profitable. There was no doubt in his mind that Maurice would fail and the farm would be his. Even so, he would give the man a fair warning, as he did everyone else. “Mr. French, don’t make a deal that you cannot fully understand. I am not charitable; I don’t feel sorry for those who cannot uphold their end of a bargain. If I take on your debt and you do not make your payments to me, I will throw you out on the street. Family and all. It is as simple as that.” 

Ten to one, Maurice was not listening or did not take his words to heart. Either way, the man nodded. “I understand. I will not fail, Mr. Gold.”

Adam wrote out a detailed contract. This would only be temporary until he could consult his solicitor and have it properly witnessed. Then they would sign an official contract. But for now, this would suffice. 

“Read it and sign.” Adam slid the document over to Maurice, along with a pen and inkwell. 

The man barely skimmed it over before scribbling his name down. People always did that and would come crying back to him whenever things did not go their way. But a desperate soul was a desperate soul. He knew how to recognize one.

Adam extended his hand and shook Maurice’s. “The deal is struck, dearie.” He concluded. “There is no going back now.”

Maurice didn’t linger long. No one ever stayed at the Dark Castle after making a deal with him. 

When he had the room to himself again, Adam tried to focus once more on the book and failed. He couldn’t shake the feeling that though he would come out the victor, as he always did, that this agreement would somehow be more than he bargained for.

**Author's Note:**

> http://bookwormchocaholic.tumblr.com/post/128325228709/deal-with-the-devil


End file.
